Is Dream Theater still relevant?

[Mark Olson]

+1 to jimmy.

It's a shame so many music fans are into excessive use of chops over actual song craft. It's easy to impress amateur musicians with lots of chops, but to have something that really connects with people with a deeper understanding of music as an art form, and sticks with them is something else completely. I don't feel Dream Theater's music has anything worthwhile to offer me.

 

[perfektspace6]

for me, i just can't get into them, and a few years ago i found out why. one of their producers told a story in a magazine about how he wanted mike portnoy to calm down a little on one track and not play so much. he replied, "but i have to win some of these drummer polls in magazines." that pretty much sums up exactly how i feel about them...trying too hard to win polls and not trying hard enough to make good music.

That sounds about right. Portnoy somehow manages to overplay in a band predicated on overplaying. That quote must have been awhile ago because the band hasn't used an outside producer for some time.

I would argue this is a big reason the band has sucked for the last few albums. Petrucci and Portnoy running the show with no one to speak up.

It goes something like this...
John: Hey Mike, should I add another solo to this already epic song?
Mike: Absolutely. Besides we need to make sure this masterpiece breaks the 20 minute mark or it won't be epic enough. I'm going to match you note for note with my wicked double bass work.
John: Awesome (please don't let him sing, please don't let him sing)
Jordan: Hey guys, what should I do?
Mike: **** you baldy. Man your keytar.
John: Errrr play some circus music
Jordan: Yes sir
Myung: (very quietly) what should I play?
John: It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter

DT is an F'ing embarrassment. The next album will be the first i don't buy.

 

[JimmyM]

^could've been a joke taken out of context.

Then again, I've never listened to Dream Theater.

obviously

 

[champbassist]

I don't really get why Dream Theater have gone the way they have. Not only do they seem bent on making "dark, heavy" music for the sake of it, but they're also trying too hard to "epic-ify" their songs. And what on earth happened to JM? What's the point in switching to a lovely new bass (Bongo 6 HH) when you can't even be heard in the mix?

Not to say that they don't make likable songs anymore: I found Wither and A Rite Of Passage from BCASL to be great but the number of good songs per album is dwindling.

Many consider Scenes From A Memory to be their greatest work: I find it was from there on that they started trying too hard. Just my 0.02 though.

 

[bunkaroo]

I still like DT and they were a huge influence on me in the early to mid 90's, but they stopped being truly "progressive" a long time ago. I still enjoy their records, but they don't give me goosebumps.

Bands like Porcupine Tree and Opeth are more true to being progressive these days, and I find my self in love with everything they do. The emphasis seems to be more on songcraft than "epicness" and chops, and the lyrical content seems more genuine, and not so much "hey let's write about vampires!" and such.

 

[bunkaroo]

Many consider Scenes From A Memory to be their greatest work: I find it was from there on that they started trying too hard. Just my 0.02 though.

I'd tend to agree with this. They were kind of forced into some of the stuff on Falling Into Infinity being more "commercial", but I still felt like there was a hunger there.

I wasn't a huge fan of Sherinian's playing but his sounds were great. I've never been thrilled Rudess made the band. Sure he's got alien chops, but his sounds are too pristine and those lame little circus piano interludes always rub me the wrong way. Truly they haven't been the same since Moore left both sonically and from a songwriting perspective. I almost feel like he was a counterbalance to the tendencies the P brothers are now exhibiting unchecked.

 

[champbassist]

I'd tend to agree with this. They were kind of forced into some of the stuff on Falling Into Infinity being more "commercial", but I still felt like there was a hunger there.

I wasn't a huge fan of Sherinian's playing but his sounds were great. I've never been thrilled Rudess made the band. Sure he's got alien chops, but his sounds are too pristine and those lame little circus piano interludes always rub me the wrong way. Truly they haven't been the same since Moore left both sonically and from a songwriting perspective. I almost feel like he was a counterbalance to the tendencies the P brothers are now exhibiting unchecked.

Agree with every point you made (especially about Rudess). I personally feel Moore's solo work shows what heights Dream Theater could have gone to had he still been with them.

 

[Polfuste]

I still like DT and they were a huge influence on me in the early to mid 90's, but they stopped being truly "progressive" a long time ago. I still enjoy their records, but they don't give me goosebumps.

Bands like Porcupine Tree and Opeth are more true to being progressive these days, and I find my self in love with everything they do. The emphasis seems to be more on songcraft than "epicness" and chops, and the lyrical content seems more genuine, and not so much "hey let's write about vampires!" and such.

fully agree. I like Dream Theater. But i discover recently Opeth and Porcupine Tree, and little by little, they take the DT's place in my taste. Melodies, sounds. These guys put music and songs before virtuosity, when DT seems to be more and more a "look at my skill" band where Petrucci, Portnoy and Rudess a playing the " i'm the heroe " game. At least Myung is not in this game..
I saw them three times live, and it was very good. Especially the one where they played all the "images and words" album. (the first moments of Bongo's Myung, which really made a difference in the mix!) Very good moment.

BUT, i saw Opeth only one time. And it was a real BLAST. can't describe it in words, but the experience was really INTENSE. I can't wait to see Porupine Tree playing live.